Sliding door lock



March 1957 J. G. STERLING ET AL SLIDING DOOR LOCK Filed July 9, 1953 Iii I SLIDING DOOR LOCK John G. Sterling, Skokie, and Thorwald Ohman, Chicago,

Ill., assignors to John Sterling Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application July 9, 1953, Serial No. 366,892

3 Claims. (Cl. 70-99) Our present invention relates generally to locking mechanisms more particularly to a new and improved lock for use with sliding doors.

Specifically, the improved lock of our invention is intended for use preferably with doors that slide along a wall (such as a sliding door in home garages and basement workshops, etc.). The lock is designed as to be reversible so that it can be mounted for either right or left hand doors, as desired. Among its many features, is the included provision of a safety latch mechanism whereby disengagement of the latch by lifting the door bodily from its track is prevented. Operation of the lock is normally accomplished either by means of a key operated lock cylinder assembly or a manual control knob, both of which act to move a pivotally mounted latch mechanism engageable with a striker assembly which is fixed to a door jamb, or the like.

Among the objects of our invention is to provide a new and improved door lock or latching mechanism suitable for use with sliding doors of the type that are arranged to move along structural Walls.

Another object of our invention, is to provide a new and improved sliding door latch or lock in which a novel safety latch means is included to prevent unwarranted entry by attempts to move the sliding door vertically. off of its track, etc.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a new and improved sliding door lock for use with doors slidably moveable along an overhead track and adjacent a structural wall which embodies principles of simplified design and construction and comprises a product economical to manufacture and efficient and easy to operate.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of our lock assembly will be recognized by those familiar with the art from the following detailed description and specifications therefor and preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the lock of our invention (with the cover portion thereof removed) showing the details of its elements assembled in a locked state for operation with a sliding door.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, with parts thereof shown in end elevation, taken substantially along vantage line 3-3 of Figure 2.

With reference to the drawings, our lock assembly comprises a substantially oval shape back plate 10 upon which is pivotally mounted an elongated latch bar 11 engageable with a fixed striker assembly 12 and which also carries a safety latch assembly 13. A key operated cylinder lock assembly 14 and a manual operating means 15 are each arranged to lift the latch bar 11 from striker assembly 12 from either side of a door member 16. An eye appealing cover 17 of curvilinear contour is fitted over the back plate 10 and the various working elewith reference to a tates Patent ments of the latch mechanism which ride with door 16.

Withparticular regard to back plate member 10, the same is preferably formed of a suitable rigid material, as for example steel plate, and is provided adjacent one end thereof with an outwardly turned guide lip 20 having a central elongated aperture or opening 21 for permitting the passage and movement of the latch bar 11 therein. The plate member 10 is further provided with suitable openings for receiving mounting screws 22, 22 and cover screws v23, 23. Additionally plate 10 is apertured to receive a pivot screw 24 for mounting the latch bar 11. In plan profile, as will be recognized from Figure 2 in particular, back plate member 10 is distinguished by an offset at about mid-length so that the same is spaced outwardly of the door member 16 at its point of connection with the latch bar 11. This offset formation of back plate 10 is featured by an angular rib portion 25 therein.

The latch bar 11, as stated hereinabove, comprises a substantially elongated metal bar apertured at one end for the reception of the pivot mounting screw 24. Additionally such is provided with an enlarged circular aperture at 28 for the passage of one of the three cover mounting screws 23, 23. In themounting of the latch bar 11 to back plate 10, screw member 24 is inserted through registeringly aligned openings of these two members located adjacent like ends thereof. A shoulder bushing 29 is mounted in back plate 10 for receiving latch bar 11 and screw 24 and projects outwardly of the back plate to space the latch bar from the back plate. An enlarged shoulder portion 30 of bushing 29 also lies intermediate the back plate and the adjacent face 31 of door member 16 in the space provided by the offsetting rib 25. This system of pivotally attaching the latch bar 11 to back plate 10' satisfactorily permits free pivotal movement of the latch bar relative to the back plate.

Formed intermediate the ends of latch bar 11, so as to be located intermediate the rib portion 25 of the back plate 10 and the pivotal junction of the latch bar with the back plate, is a substantially rectangular shaped aperture or opening 32, the purpose of which will be explained more fully hereinafter.

It will be noted also that the free or left hand end of latch bar 11, as illustrated in Figure l, is provided with a notched-out portion 33 located at the foot of a sloping face or edge 34. The notch portion 33 is designed to engage and lockingly cooperate with the stationary striker assembly 12 while the sloping edge 34 serves to guide the latch bar into such engagement. The latch bar 11 is normally biased to an aligned position for engaging the striker by means of a tension coil spring 35 fastened between the latch bar and lower edge 36 of the back plate.

Also mounted on latch bar 11 is a release assembly, indicated generally at 40, which is pivoted over the upper edge 41 of the latch bar by means of pin member 42. The release assembly 40, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, comprises a substantially inverted U-shaped, or horseshoe shaped member 43 having two leg portions 44, 44 each distinguished at its lower end by an outwardly turned platform or lip portion 45. A spring 46 is innerconnected between one lip 45 and the lower edge 37 of the latch bar to normally bias the U-shaped member 43, so that an upper platform or wall-portion 47 thereof is engaged with upperedge 41 of the latch bar. The purpose and function of this release assembly 40 will be better understood as described more fully hereinafter in relation to the manual operating means 15.

The striker assembly 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, preferably comprises a known style of at one end of which'isformed a transversely extending keeper portion 51. The keeper portion is provided with a central opening 52 for receiving the safety latch 13, as will be described presently. Also formed in the platform portion 56 of the striker assembly are slotted apertures 53, 53 for providing adjustment of the striker and which receive mounting screws 54 for attaching the striker assembly rigidly to a door frame or jamb member 55. Operation of the striker assembly in conjunction with the latch bar 11 is according to conventional practice; the latch bar securely engaging or hooking over the upper end of the keeper portion 51 when in its locked condition, as thus illustrated in Figure l of the drawings.

As mentioned hereinabove, the safety latch 13 is designed to cooperate with the striker assembly 12 and is provided for the purpose of preventing disengagement of the latch bar from the keeper 51 bylifting the door 16 bodily upward. Briefly, the safety latch 13 comprises a base portion 60 attachable to door 16 by screw members 22, 22 which pass through back plate loand serve to attach the back plate to the face of door member 16. Two corners of the base portion 60 of the safety latch are cut away as at 62 so that the same may be received within the rectangular opening 21 of the back plate guide lip 20. Further, adjacent the lower end of the base 60 a protruding ear member 63 coplanar with base 60 is provided. Such ear 63 is of sufficient length to extend into the open center of the keeper 51 when the door member 16 is closed against the door frame or jamb member 55, as illustrated. It will be recognized that with the ear portion 63 of the safety latch assembly inserted in the keeper 51, disengagement of the latch bar 11 from the keeper by moving the door vertically upward is prevented.

In addition to the style of striker assembly shown, it is contemplated that occasion may require a striker of the known mortise variety, mounted on the inside edge of jamb 55 as opposed to the rim mounting type illustrated. We have successfully employed such a mortise striker assembly with our look, the same not illustrated herein, but comprising a planar plate having openings for receiving latch bar 11 and safety lat-ch car 63 which is inset in the jamb frame when mounted, according to recognized practice.

Having thus described the various elements which go to make up the working members of the latching mechanism of our new and improved lock, the means and modes of operating the same will now be described.

Two means are provided for lifting the latch bar 11. The first of these means comprises the cylinder lock assembly 14; the lock portion 64 of which may comprise any suitable cylinder or barrel style of lock or the like operable by key means 65 and mountable within opening 66 formed through the door member 16. Such a lock assembly 14 is held normally in opening 66 by means of a retaining plate 67 and is arranged to rotate a tongue member 68. In this regard it will be notedthat the offset formation of back plate provides a clearance for the retaining plate 67 so that the latter lies with its periphery partially between the back plate and face 31 of the door. Tongue 68 extends through a slotted opening of a collar assembly 69 which is rotatably mounted on the back plate 10 of our lock assembly. As best seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the portion of the collar assembly 69 which is disposed on the same side of the back plate 10 as the latch bar 11, comprises a tubular semi-cylindrical portion 70 having flat edges 71, 71 engageablewith a flat upper edge 72 of the rectangular opening 32 in latch bar 11. Thus it will be appreciated that rotation of the tongue member 63 by turning of the key member 65 in the cylinder lock serves to rotate the collar assembly 69. Such rotational movement of collar 69 in 'turn causes the edges 71 thereof to engage edge 72 of opening 32 thereby to bias the latch bar 11 upwardly regardless of the direction of rotation of collar 69. It will be understood that opening 32 is not of suflicient size to permit the complete rotation of the collar 69 therewithin, but that the biasing of the latch bar by turning the key member 65 and the manual engaging knob portion 75 disposed exteriorly' of the cover member 17. Disposed inwardly of the cover member in coaxial relation with knob 75 is an operating barrel cam 76 cut so as to present a semi-cylindrical surface or portion 77 traversed by flat edges 78; It will be recognized that the construction of barrel 76 is similar to that of collar 69 hereinabove described. When cover member 17 is mounted over the assembled elements of our lock and fastened to the door member 16 by means of the screw members 23, 23, of which there are. three, the operating barrel cam portion 7 6 is engaged at its semi cylindrical end 77 with the underside of lip 45 of the release assembly 40. Therefore, it will be recognized that rotational movement of the knob member 75 in either direction serves to alternately present its semi-cylindrical surface 77 and flat edges 78 to the adjacent face of lip portion 45. In this regard it will be understood that when the lip 45 engages the semi-cylindrical surface 77, the release assembly is biased against the tension of the spring 46 and so. raises the latch bar 11, It will be noted, additionally, that the spring 46 is designed to have greater tensioning force than spring 35 which holds latch bar 11 against flats 71, 71 of cam 76. Further, it will be appreciated that the operating knob means 15 may be rotated or turned in either direction to effect the lifting of the latch bar 11 so that the same will clear keeper portion 51 of the striker assembly. Additionally, manual release of the operating knob 15 does not result in an automatic spring return of the latch bar to its operating 7 position if lip 45 of the release assembly is engaged with the semi-cylindrical portion 77 of the operating barrel cam 76. Consequently, it will be understood, that when the manual operating knob means is conditioned to raise thelatch bar, said bar remains in a raised condition until manually released therefrom by continuing the rotation or turning movement of the operating knob 15 to bring the flattened surface comprising edges 78 into engagement with lip 45 (-see Figure 3). Release of the latch bar can. take place by rotation of the operating knob in either direction, as desired.

It therefore will be recognized that we have herein described andiillustrated the features and elements which comprise our new and improved sliding door latch or lock assembly. From the description of the elements and the. illustration of their assembled relation, it is believed that. their operation is readily understood. Particularly of importance in this regard is the feature of providing for operation of the latch either by the manual operatingknobmeans 15 or by the cylinder lock assembly means 14. Further, raising of the latch bar to an inoperative position with respect to keeper portion 51 of the striker assembly by means of the manual operating means 15. serves to maintain the latch bar in such raised condition until manually released therefrom. This feature isespecially helpful when it is desired to effect repeated. opening andclosing movements of the door 16 without necessitating unlocking of the latch. At the same time, safety features are embodied in our lock assembly comprising the safety latch 13 which'effectively prevents tampering with the door and circumventing the normal operation of ourlatch assembly by lifting the door vertically from its track, etc.

Consequently, it will be understood and appreciated that while we have herein shown and dESCI'ibBd: our invention as related to one preferred embodiment of its conceptsand features, such may be varied and alterations,

it l i changes and substitutions of equivalents made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. As a result, we do not wish to be limited to the specific details of our lock assembly herein shown and described except as may appear in the following appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a lock mechanism of the class described, the combination comprising, a back plate member, an elongated latch pivotally connected at one end to said plate member, a collar member rotatably mounted on said back plate member and having a semi-cylindrical portion projecting through a substantially rectangular opening formed in said latch bar, spring means normally biasing said latch bar in a direction to bring one edge of said opening therein into engagement with said collar member, a key actuated lock mechanism connected to said collar member for rotating the same, a cover member fitted over said back plate and latch bar, a barrel cam member rotatably mounted on said cover member and projecting transversely of the inner face thereof toward said latch bar, a release means afiixed to said latch bar and provided with a lip portion projecting laterally outward of the latter, a semi-cylindrical portion on said barrel cam member for slidingly engaging said lip portion and biasing said latch bar against said spring means upon rotation of said cam member, and knob means manually accessible exteriorly of said cover and affixed coaxially with said barrel cam member for rotatably actuating the latter; rotation of said collar member by operation of said key actuated lock means serving to move said latch bar in one direction against the force of said spring and rotation of said barrel cam member by said knob means serving to move said cam member into a position wherein its semi-cylindrical portion engages said lip portion to lift said latch bar, arrestation of said cam member in engagement with said lip portion serving to hold the latch bar raised.

2. A lock mechanism of the class described, comprising, a back plate member, an elongated latch bar pivotally connected at one end to said plate member and having its other end formed for locking engagement with a striker means adapted to be mounted adjacent said plate member, a collar means rotatably mounted on said back plate member and having a semi-cylindrical portion projecting through a substantially rectangular opening formed in said latch bar, first spring means normally biasing said latch bar in a direction to bring one edge of said opening therein into engagement with said semi-cylindrical portion of said collar means, a key actuated lock mechanism having connection with said collar means for rotating the same, a cover member encasing said back plate and latch bar, a barrel cam member rotatably mounted on said cover member and extending therefrom toward said latch bar, a release means pivotally afiixed to said latch bar and having a lip portion projection towards said barrel cam member, second spring means normally biasing said release means toward said latch bar, a semi-cylindrical cam surface portion formed on said barrel cam member so that rotation of the latter serves to bring its cam surface portion into engagement with said lip portion, and knob means manually accessible exteriorly of said cover member and arranged coaxially of said barrel cam memher for rotatably operating the same; rotation of said collar member by said key actuated lock mechanism serving to bias said latch bar to a position of non-interference with said striker means, rotation of said barrel cam member by said knob means serving likewise to bias said latch bar into a position of non-interference with said striker means, and the arresting of said barrel cam member in a position wherein its semi-cylindrical cam surface engages said lip portion, serving to hold said latch bar in a raised position against the force of said first spring means.

3. A lock mechanism of the class described for use with 1 sliding doors, comprising in combination, a plate member attachable to one face of a door and adjacent one edge thereof, a latch bar pivotally supported at one end on said plate member and having a notched recess formed in its opposite end, said opposite end and said notched recess therein being adapted to extend beyond the said one edge of said door for engaging a striker assembly adapted to be mounted stationarily to a door frame member having a keeper portion with a central opening, said striker assembly being arranged with respect to said latch bar so that movement of said door against said frame member causes said latch bar to pivotally move over the said keeper portion and said recess therein lockingly to engage the same, a safety latch means rigidly fixed to said plate adjacent said one edge of said door and provided with an ear portion projecting beyond said doors one edge, spring means normally biasing said latch bar into position for engaging said striker assembly, key operated rotatable collar means extending through an opening in the said latch bar, the rotational axis of said collar means being ofiset with respect to the center of said opening in said latch bar so that partial rotation of said collar means serves to pivotally lift said latch bar away from said striker assembly, said safety latch means being arranged with respect to the opening in said keeper portion for entering the same upon movement of said door against said frame member thereby to prevent vertical displacement of said door with respect to said striker assembly, a release means mounted on one edge of said latch bar and having a lip portion extending transversely outward of said latch bar, and a rotatable cam means having a semi-cylindrical portion disposed adjacent said latch bar for engaging said lip portion, rotation of said cam means to bring its semi-cylindrical portion into engagement with said lip portion causing said latch bar to move into a position of noninterference with said striker assembly, the arrestation of said cam means with its said semi-cylindrical portion engaged with said lip portion serving to hold said latch bar at such position of noninterference.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 347,185 Manley Aug. 10, 1886 352,018 Whitmore Nov. 2, 1886 1,001,100 Voigt Aug. 22, 1911 1,334,852 Gorowitz Mar. 23, 1920 1,358,036 Taillefer Nov. 9, 1920 1,376,141 Evans Apr. 26, 1921 2,203,819 Fyfe June 11, 1940 2,695,805 Raper Nov. 30, 1954 

